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SWEDEN’S 29
national parkS
A GUIDE TO OUR
­FINEST LANDSCAPES
Discover Sweden’s
national parks
National park is the highest distinction a
nature area can receive. Sweden’s national
parks comprise a magnificent mosaic of
different landscape types – from the leafy
beech forests of Söderåsen to Sarek’s
grandiose alpine world. From the teeming
coral reef of Kosterhavet to the undulating
sand dunes of Gotska Sandön and Tiveden’s
bewitching forests.
As early as 1909 Sweden established its
first nine national parks, which also were the
first in Europe. Now, just over 100 years later,
there are 29 of them. They are among the
natural endowments most worth protecting,
our natural heritage that we and future
generations can enjoy and marvel at. Many
of the national parks have visitor centres
and easy walking trails. You have a standing
invitation, at any time year-round. Welcome!
The feathers of boreal owls are so soft that
they can fly making almost no sound at all.
With their acute hearing, they can detect
sounds made by a vole and swoop down on
it before the creature has a chance to flee.
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Claes Grundsten, Magnus Carlsson, Jonas Forsberg, Björn Röhsman,
Peter Rosén, Tor Lundberg, Mikael Gustafsson, Tomas Lundälv, Sven Persson,
Bertil Pettersson, Martin Borg, Daniel Stenberg, Håkan Sandbring, Henrik Karlsson,
Klas-Rune Johansson, Fredrik Mörk, Jörgen Wiklund, Sven Persson, Michael Engman.
Why do we need
national parks?
National parks are small fragments of the
nature that once covered all of Sweden,
and that makes them worthy of protection.
They safeguard the diversity of ecosystems and give
visitors an opportunity to enjoy natural surroundings
and relax in them. They represent the most valuable
nature in Sweden.
1,6%
10%
SWEDEN’S PROTECTED NATURE
1.6 per cent of Sweden’s area has
the strongest protected status,
national park.
Around 10 per cent of Sweden’s
area is protected in another way.
National park
Nature reserve/other
protected areas
Unprotected nature
234 hexagoner = 100% av sveriges yta
1% = 2,34 hexagoner
18% = 42 pluppar
1,5% = 3,5 hexagoner
9,8% =23 hexagoner
N2000=17% = 39,78
National parks around the world
Capercaillies thrive in old pine forests with carpets of
bilberry sprigs. That is just the kind of environment to be
found in national parks and nature reserves in northern
Sweden, but also in Tyresta National Park, for example.
The young eat larvae in the bilberry springs to begin with.
Adult birds eat bilberries, hare’s-tail cottongrass, small
leaves and buds. The capercaillie prefers to spend winters
in the pines, where it eats pine needles. It ingests small
stones in order to digest the hard needles.
Bilberry sprigs wand
pine forest – the
capercaillie’s pantry
The world’s finest
The Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos Islands and Skuleskogen all are national parks. They are exquisite gems to
which people travel to experience exceptional and magnificent nature. There are more than 4,000 national parks
around the world, covering over two per cent of all land
area. Several of them encompass stunning natural phenomena. Many teem with life and a gene bank that can be
invaluable for our future. All merit a visit.
Everything is
just waiting to
be experienced
You can explore national parks on foot, on
skis, in some cases by boat and in others
with a snorkel. You can experience magnificent views and picturesque nature. Silence
and stars on a clear night.
Most national parks have entrances where you will find
orientation boards with maps and information about
attractions and parking places.
Naturum, staffed visitor information centres, are
located next to several national parks. They have exhibits and sometimes cafés and guides. Opening hours vary.
Almost all national parks have marked trails of varying
lengths that take you to places worth seeing. You can
hike on established trails or on your own. Canoes are
a good mode of transportation in many parks; bicycles
and skis in others.
The majority of national parks are a delight for plant
lovers and bird-watchers when visiting during the right
time of year. With a little luck, you can spot elk, bears,
otters or other favourite animals.
In some national parks you may bring along your dog on
a leash. But in others dogs can disturb birds,other wildlife or reindeer breeding and are not welcome.
Every national park has special rules that you can find
on information boards on site or on the Web. The Right
of Public Access does not fully apply in national parks.
You can find collected information on all national parks
at Nationalparksofsweden.se
*Stora Sjöfallet
/Stuor Muorkke
**Padjelanta
/Badjelánnda
Abisko
Stora Sjöfallet*
Sarek
Pieljekaise
Sonfjället
Hamra
Ängsö
Garphyttan
Gotska Sandön
Dalby Söderskog
Vadvetjåkka
Blå Jungfrun
Norra Kvill
Töfsingdalen
Muddus/Muttos
Padjelanta**
Store Mosse
Tiveden
Skuleskogen
Stenshuvud
Björnlandet
Djurö
Tyresta
Haparanda skärgård
Tresticklan
Färnebofjärden
Söderåsen
Fulufjället
Kosterhavet
Naturum
Café
Restaurant
Exhibition
Caravan parking
Cabins
Wind shelter
Campsite
Groceries
Trail
Sound trail/audio guide
Pram/buggy trail
Wheelchair acessible trail
= Services
= Aids
= Trails
Our natural
habitats
Mountains
About 90 percent of the national parks’ combined surface area is in mountainous regions.
Here you can hike from mountain birch forests
or ancient coniferous forests across windswept
heaths and up onto glistening glaciers.
Lakes and watercourses
Sweden has one of the greatest concentrations
of lakes in the world. Almost one-tenth of its
surface consists of lakes. Sparkling fresh water
environments are present in most national parks.
Coast and sea
The national parks along the coast offer great
contrasts: Skuleskogen’s uplifted coast, the
sandbanks of the Haparanda archipelago and
Kosterhavet’s briny rocks and rare submerged
life.
Broad-leaved deciduous forest
Forests of beech, ash, oak and elm trees cover
less than one percent of Sweden. The light-filled,
leafy spaces teem with life, including many rare
animals and plants. These forests can be found
in Söderåsen, Dalby Söderskog and Ängsö.
Wetland
About one-fifth of Sweden’s surface is covered
by wetlands such as bogs, fens and marshes.
They are vital for many birds, like the Eurasian
curlew whose whistling sends vibrations
through summer evenings.
Coniferous forest
The dark green cover of forests of pine and
spruce dominates Sweden’s nature, including
the large national parks outside the mountainous areas. In Tyresta and Muddus/Muttos,
you can see traces of forest fires that once left
their stamp on the landscape.
The glacier crowfoot often blooms
right at the edge of glaciers. It has the
Swedish altitude record for flowers,
at 2,055 metres on Mount Kebnekaise.
The entrance to a beaver lodge lies
beneath the water’s surface. The beaver
gnaws down trees to get building
material for the lodge. It eats bark, but
also leaves herbs and aquatic plants.
The long-horn beetle is one of
at least seven beetles to be
found only on Gotska Sandön
in the entire Nordic region.
The Eurasian golden oriole has
bright yellow plumage, but it is
hard to spot because it lives in
dense deciduous forests. On the
other hand, you may hear its
flute-like song.
The butterwort is one of Sweden’s
carnivorous plants. With its sticky
leaves, it catches insects, which it
then slowly digests in order to
survive in the nutrient-poor marshes.
Fallen dead trees are food
for many species in the
old-growth forest.
National parks:
past, present
and future
In 1909 Sweden became the first European
country to establish national parks. Then, as
now, the idea was to preserve pristine nature
for present and future generations, but also
to make national parks inviting for tourism
and outdoor activities.
Previously national parks were created, in part, on the
basis of romantic ideals about nature. Now selection
is based on international, scientific criteria for what
nature merits protection and interesting attractions.
One difference from before is size. New national parks
are to be large, untouched areas that showcase a typical
Swedish landscape.
In most national parks, nature is allowed to take care
of itself. In a few grazing animals keep the land from
becoming overgrown, and meadows are mowed to preserve the old cultural landscape.
The land in national parks is owned by the state. The
government and Parliament make decisions about
establishing new national parks. The selection and
preparations are handled by the Swedish Environmental
Protection Agency together with county administrative boards and other local parties. It is important for
local residents to participate in efforts to form new
national parks. They are a legacy we have in common
that should be taken care of in the best possible way for
us and future generations.
the gold star is the symbol for Sweden’s
national parks. It indicates that the parks
represent the finest and most remarkable
examples of Swedish nature.
Tips before you
venture out
Walking along the paths in a national park for
a few hours usually does not require special
equipment other than comfortable shoes
and clothes that provide sufficient warmth.
Step outside and make yourself at home.
If you want to be sure of choosing
the right clothing, check the
weather forecast before you leave
at www.smhi.se or www.yr.no
If you are going to visit a national
park in the mountains, it pays to
be more prepared. Information
about equipment, avalanche risk
and other considerations is available at
http://www.fjallsakerhetsradet.se/eng/
Small things for a bigger experience
In each park you will find information about the things
worth seeing there. If you want to see more, bring along
flora, a birdguide and binoculars. Those planning to visit
an old-growth forest in the north might bring along a little
extra food for the Siberian jay. They prefer a bit of sausage
or bread and offer their chattering company as thanks.
In many national parks, there are established fire places
where it is okay to grill food as long as the lighting of fires
is not prohibited.
E45
Anyone who gets to
see a snowy owl can
count themselves
lucky. Their numbers in Sweden
vary from zero
to twenty,
depending on
the number
of lemmings
and voles.
1. Abisko is probably
Sweden’s sunniest
national park, with rich
flora and a canyon filled
with rushing water.
11. Vadvetjåkka’s
southernmost section
consists of a large
delta with abundant
wildlife.
Sarek, Padjelanta/Badjelánnda, Stora Sjöfallet/
Stuor Muorkke and Muddus/Muttos are included
in the Laponia World Heritage Site. Badjelánnda,
Stuor Muorkke and Muttos are the Samee names.
An oldgrowth forest
has trees of all ages.
Two thousand
threatened species
of both plants and
animals need old
forests to survive.
E10
Kiruna
Gällivare
Porjus
E10
Arctic
Circle
Jokkmokk
E45
The whooper swan was protected
in 1926, when there were only
a few pairs left in the north.
They are now found
throughout the country.
Arjeplog
3. Sarek is really
Sweden’s highlands,
with six peaks over
2000 metres. Stortoppen, at 2089 m,
is the highest.
Reindeer thrive
in the mountains
and cope wonderfully with the cold.
16. Padjelanta is
Sweden’s most remote
place, with a “pole of
inaccessibility” that is
47 km from the nearest
road.
Arvidsjaur
Haparanda
Luleå
E12
The lemming is
found throughout
the Swedish
mountains.
E4
Fredrika
92
Umeå
21. Bears avoid people,
but you can see traces
such as a torn ant hill,
scratch marks on a tree,
or large droppings.
E45
Åre
Örnsköldsvik
5. With a bit of
luck, you can see
bears looking for
crowberries on the
slopes of Sonfjället.
Östersund
84
E14
28. Njupeskär, at 93 metres, is Sweden’s tallest
waterfall and is found in
Fulufjället National Park.
19. From the vantage
point at Slåttdalsberget
you have a magnificent
view of the High Coast.
The national park lies
inside the High Coast
World Heritage Site.
Sundsvall
4. PIELJEKAISE
19. SKULESKOGEN
Vast mountain birch forests are
characteristic of this national park, as
well as meadows full of yellow globeflowers that greet visitors in June.
This park has Sweden’s highest
stretch of coastline with magnificent
views and the world’s greatest postglacial land uplift. Methuselah’s
beard, a rare form of lichen that looks
like Christmas tree tinsel, grows in
the old-growth spruce forests.
7. ÄNGSÖ
Gävle
18. The moss­covered
rocks and boulders
mean there is a magical
atmosphere in Tiveden.
70
29. Try Kosterhavet’s
snorkel trails. Swim
along ropes at the
bottom of the sea
and find signs that
tell about animals
and plants beneath
the surface.
E4
Sala
E45
Uppsala
7. Dactylorhiza latifolia (L.)
Soó is one of the orchids
that grow at Ängsö in the
spring.
E18
E18, E20
E18
Stockholm
Örebro
Bengtsfors
Laxå
The capercaillie
display is one
of nature’s
marvels.
E4
Mariestad
E6
E20
34
The harbour
seal can be seen
on the west coast.
This is where it
is most common.
On this idyllic island of meadows,
you can enjoy flowering cowslips
and orchids. Ängsö is a landscape of
grazing animals and hay-making, but
it also has wild, old-growth forest.
8. GARPHYTTAN
This national park with flowering
meadows and deciduous forests
is located in the dark, coniferous
forests of Kilsbergen. Here woodpeckers of the old-growth forest
meet the songbirds of the agricultural countryside.
9. GOTSKA SANDÖN
An exceptionally beautiful island
with sandy beaches extending for
miles and dense, sunny pine forests.
Take the tour boat to this island,
which has fascinated visitors for
centuries.
33
Göteborg
The famous
crane dance
is easiest to
see in the spring.
Vimmerby
Oskarshamn
Värnamo
Ljungbyhed
Sweden’s northernmost national
park. True wilderness with some of
the country’s deepest caves.
12. BLÅ JUNGFRUN
Malmö
Simrishamn
E65
10. Ethereal greenery in
Dalby Söderskog in the
spring. In summer the
forest is transformed
into a shady colonnade.
Ystad
14. TÖFSINGDALEN
12. It is said that anyone
who steals a stone from
Blå Jungfrun will meet
with bad luck. Hundreds
of stones are returned
to the island every year.
27. From Söderåsen’s
vantage points, you look
out over leafy beech
forests, deep ravines and
glittering waterways.
17. Store mosse is southern
Sweden´s biggest marsh.
It has a very rich birdlife.
A place where you will quickly get a
sense of how nature looked before
people left their mark on it through
forestry. The nature resembles that
which Carl Linnaeus saw during his
Lapland trip more than 250 years ago.
22. DJURÖ
An archipelago landscape in Vänern,
Western Europe’s largest lake. Giant
pine tree roots wriggle across the
rocky ground in search of soil and
moisture. Excellent smooth rocks
from which to watch birds.
23. TYRESTA
Just 20 kilometres from the centre
of Stockholm, you can enjoy the
silence of an old-growth forest,
great walks and mushroom picking.
24. HAPARANDA SKÄRGÅRD
A sunny and sandy island world with
beaches having shallow water for a
long way out. Their location makes
the islands a favourite among migrating birds, kayakers and hikers.
In this roadless wilderness you can
walk long distances and enjoy panoramic views. The pine-clad mountain
ridges seem endless, and you keep
encountering new small lakes and
bogs.
Bewitching old-growth forest with
tall coniferous trees, quiet tarns and
mossy boulders.
E22
21. BJÖRNLANDET
25. TRESTICKLAN
13. NORRA KVILL
E4
This seaside national park in Skåne’s
Österlen region unites coastal
mountains, broadleaf forests, heaths
and beautiful beaches.
This broadleaf grove nestles on the
Skåne plain like a lush, inviting oasis.
In spring few places can compete
with Dalby Söderskog for magnificent floral displays and birdsong.
A remarkable island of red granite,
with flat rocks, caves, broadleaf
forests and fantastic sea views, rises
from the middle of the Kalmar Strait.
E6, E20
20. STENSHUVUD
10. DALBY SÖDERSKOG
11. VADVETJÅKKA
9. Despite Gotska Sandön’s
location far out at sea,
many beetles have found
their way here. Some species exist nowhere else.
Our largest bog area south of Lapland
is in the Småland highlands. From
bird observation towers you gaze
out across the open spaces and
maybe hear the golden plover.
Imposing boulders, the softest
mosses and clear lakes surround
paths that have been used from
time immemorial.
Extensive swamps, virgin forests and
the winding Svartån river form an
exceptionally cohesive sense of nature that invites visitors to engage in
hiking and outdoor activities.
6. In Hamra you can be
photographed in front
of the country’s first
national park marker.
17. STORE MOSSE
18. TIVEDEN
6. HAMRA
6. The wood sandpiper
lives in raised marshes
and deciduous forests
close to the mountains,
including in Hamra.
Stretching out across this roadless
land are large, crystal-clear lakes
as well as mountain meadows and
heaths where reindeer graze. Unusual
species such as the arctic fox and
snowy owl.
Sarek offers Sweden’s most dramatic
natural landscape, with jagged
mountains, massive glaciers and
rushing streams.
Sonfjället mountain rears above the
surrounding old-growth forest. In
1909 it was one of the bear’s last
footholds in Sweden, and nowadays
there are plenty of bears.
Sveg
16. PADJELANTA / BADJELÁNNDA
3. SAREK
5. SONFJÄLLET
Särna
Strömstad
Step off the train and straight into a
flowering alpine world in one of
Sweden’s sunniest places. In winter
Abisko is one of the best places in
the world to watch the northern lights.
This national park was established
in 1909 to preserve a great waterfall.
Even though the waterfall no longer
exists, Mount Akka makes a powerful impression, with its peaks, glaciers
and beautiful primeval pine forests.
Skellefteå
Åsele
1. ABISKO
2. STORA SJÖFALLET /
STUOR MUORKKE
95
Storuman
Welcome to
Sweden’s
national parks
26. FÄRNEBOFJÄRDEN
A unique riverscape along the lower
Dalälven river with more than 200
islands and islets. The easiest way
to explore this broadleaf forest kingdom of the spotted woodpecker
and owl is on skis or by canoe.
27. SÖDERÅSEN
Great heights, beautiful beech forests
and dramatic ravines. Odensjön is a
small, round lake in a bowl-shaped
depression in Söderåsen.
28. FULUFJÄLLET
A mysterious valley with old-growth
coniferous forests, boulder-strewn
slopes, rushing streams and glittering,
small tarns.
This is where the primeval forest
meets the mountain, which glows
with thick, white mats of lichen,
since this is Sweden’s only large
mountain where no reindeer graze.
15. MUDDUS / MUTTOS
29. KOSTERHAVET
A land of large swamps and oldgrowth forests. Explore true primeval
forest, the wild Muddus falls and
huge bogs echoing with the call of
the whooper swans.
Sweden’s only coral reef is in the
country’s first marine national park.
Here you can enjoy marine nature
where the most abundant life is to
be found beneath the surface.
All national
parks
2013-05, 20,000 ex, Edita, ISBN : 978-91-620-8654-1
1.Abisko
2.StoRA SjÖFAllEt/
Stuor Muorkke
3.Sarek
4.Pieljekaise
5.Sonfjället
6.Hamra
7.Ängsö
8.Garphyttan
9.Gotska sandön
10.Dalby Söderskog
11.Vadvetjåkka
12.Blå jungfrun
13.Norra kvill
14.Töfsingdalen
15.Muddus / Muttos
16.PADJELANTA/ Badjelánnda
17.STORE MOSSE
18.TIVEDEN
19.SKULESKOGEN
20.STENSHUVUD
21.BJÖRNLANDET
22.DJURÖ
23.TYRESTA
24.HAPARANDA
SKÄRGÅRD
25.TRESTICKLAN
26.FÄRNEBOFJÄRDEN
27.Söderåsen
28.FULUFJÄLLET
29.KOSTERHAVET
LISTEN TO
THE BROCHURE
For information about Sweden’s national parks
Nationalparksofsweden.se
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
Responsible for Sweden’s National Parks
Swedishepa.se